Women pilots...?
By the way, gunners, when I was Sqn Ldr Air in the Islas Malvinas a year or so ago, both rotary wing Flt Cdrs were ladies. Both highly respected in a world not renowned for taking prisoners and both great ladies!
Went for a trip with one in a SeaKing. To me the idea of landing on HMS Bouncy Castle looked completely barking mad - she made it look utterly effortless. Would have flown with the other in the Chinnie, but it was u/s at the time....
Please, please come on in and play. The water is lovely - honest!!
Went flying today with a student captain - air refuelling over France in our VC10 followed by some simulated emergencies. She did very well indeed!
Don't listen to dribbling chauvinistic dinosaurs!
Went for a trip with one in a SeaKing. To me the idea of landing on HMS Bouncy Castle looked completely barking mad - she made it look utterly effortless. Would have flown with the other in the Chinnie, but it was u/s at the time....
Please, please come on in and play. The water is lovely - honest!!
Went flying today with a student captain - air refuelling over France in our VC10 followed by some simulated emergencies. She did very well indeed!
Don't listen to dribbling chauvinistic dinosaurs!
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I am not a professional pilot but a flight test engineer and aerodynamicist working with the military. I think all pilots should be female by law - same brain but only two thirds of the weight. That is a stunning aerodynamic advantage. Some chauvinistic male pilots I know dispute this analysis on the grounds that the female brain only works for two thirds of the time. Some female pilots dispute the same brain bit. From what I've seen from the outside lady pilots are doing well and having a ball - go for it.
Tricky one that Flygunz, I had a similar dilemma when 2 girly F3 jocks (who kept threatening to call themselves 'snatch' formation) complained that they were getting a soft contact on my hose. I suppose I'll just have to accept that with my chiselled good looks I'm going to be sexually harassed now and then 
PS I know a girly pilot whose test pilot grandad was actually called 'flaps'...........needless to say it has never come up in crewroom banter!
PS I know a girly pilot whose test pilot grandad was actually called 'flaps'...........needless to say it has never come up in crewroom banter!
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Hmmm.... anyone else beginning to suspect BEags' motives? 'The water's lovely'???!? Doesn't square with the banter I'm getting. Gunray, beware this man and any offered postings to the VC10!
Gentleman Aviator
Blimey BEags, that's a formula I haven't seen for many a long day. Must endorse your high opinion of the rotary ladies you mention, who are a credit to their respective forces. But most are.
Gunners, do go for it. Of COURSE there will be banter (as you've probably gathered from this forum), but there always is. You'll get it if you're tall/short/fat/thin/jockinese/Irish/ginger or whatever. Or female. It's just an aircrew thing. But also an aircrew thing is not to mind if you're tall/short etc etc if you can do the job well.
If you can, nobody minds what you are - and that envelope is pushed pretty widely in the rotary world! But the banter will still be there; time to worry is when the banter stops - then you may have a real problem!
Gunners, do go for it. Of COURSE there will be banter (as you've probably gathered from this forum), but there always is. You'll get it if you're tall/short/fat/thin/jockinese/Irish/ginger or whatever. Or female. It's just an aircrew thing. But also an aircrew thing is not to mind if you're tall/short etc etc if you can do the job well.
If you can, nobody minds what you are - and that envelope is pushed pretty widely in the rotary world! But the banter will still be there; time to worry is when the banter stops - then you may have a real problem!
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I am glad all your answers follow a similar path, in that a good aviator is one who proves their abilty irrespective of gender and unavoidable banter etc. Lets just hope the 'powers above' at Cranwell also take the same line. I am well used to the world of aircrew banter as I have seen a few pranks played on our family at Bruggen, the best part is striking back! I hate to look back and see my life as a chain of "what if's," so I think I shall give it a whole-hearted go and que sera, sera. So if you see a tall, slim, blonde, fighter pilot hit the headlines for best pilot of the year, then you'll know gunray has made her mark! Cheers for all the advice and encouragement.
I have a few more questions though: Is it worthwhile joining up to a UAS? and how can you find out which uni has a club? The other thing was bursaries/scholarships through uni...what qualifies someone to obtain one of these and what are the conditions?
Cheers for all the advice and encouragement.I have a few more questions though: Is it worthwhile joining up to a UAS? and how can you find out which uni has a club? The other thing was bursaries/scholarships through uni...what qualifies someone to obtain one of these and what are the conditions?
Last edited by gunray; 15th Aug 2002 at 12:44.
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Crikey
Considering the "OBVIOUS" tongue in cheek style of Spec's first entry here I am appalled at the amount of patronising "hey girlies can also be brill" claptrap being written here.
After all when was the last time anyone here felt the need to praise the finely honed flight deck skill of the male captain/co pilot etc or marvel at the ease of a male guided deck landing? The lady in question must be thinking we are all just a bunch of protectionist lounge lizards with all the predatory traits hinted at by Spec.
TTH hits the nail on the head.......It is not important if you are male or female or black or white or even sky blue pink with yellow dots on 'cos if you can do the job you earn respect and if you can't...........well you can always become a Flt Cdr
Banter is the thing that keeps us going and Spec's offering was superb. The hint of irony at the ever increasing level of positive discrimination in the services is also plain to see, but before any PC anoraks decide to challenge him on this thorny subject please bear in mind it's not a great secret!
Considering we already have all the crew positions on the Mighty J filled by women any bets on how long before "that" article surfaces in the RAF mag?
Guns it's a cruel environment you are looking to join where the banter can be extremely cutting but after 28 years I would not swap my job for anything.....well anything short of "the big one" on a Saturday night.
Spec'.........keep it up mate
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
Considering the "OBVIOUS" tongue in cheek style of Spec's first entry here I am appalled at the amount of patronising "hey girlies can also be brill" claptrap being written here.
After all when was the last time anyone here felt the need to praise the finely honed flight deck skill of the male captain/co pilot etc or marvel at the ease of a male guided deck landing? The lady in question must be thinking we are all just a bunch of protectionist lounge lizards with all the predatory traits hinted at by Spec.
TTH hits the nail on the head.......It is not important if you are male or female or black or white or even sky blue pink with yellow dots on 'cos if you can do the job you earn respect and if you can't...........well you can always become a Flt Cdr
Banter is the thing that keeps us going and Spec's offering was superb. The hint of irony at the ever increasing level of positive discrimination in the services is also plain to see, but before any PC anoraks decide to challenge him on this thorny subject please bear in mind it's not a great secret!
Considering we already have all the crew positions on the Mighty J filled by women any bets on how long before "that" article surfaces in the RAF mag?
Guns it's a cruel environment you are looking to join where the banter can be extremely cutting but after 28 years I would not swap my job for anything.....well anything short of "the big one" on a Saturday night.
Spec'.........keep it up mate
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
Last edited by Always_broken_in_wilts; 15th Aug 2002 at 09:14.
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So Speccie, exactly how many gorgeous women were falling over themselves to get to you last Fiday night in Witney? And would you please tell us all why you were too poorly to come out with the rest of us on Saturday? Was the smell of the Ovaltine too overpowering at chez Spec?
Well actually we were in Cartoontown and if you'll recall we had several free rounds off a female admirer. Anyway I couldn't fit in to my pulling pants for saturday night and then there's the 'innie' or 'outie' shirt dilemma!
Gunray if you are serious about joining a UAS look here, http://www.cranwell.raf.mod.uk/eft/uas.htm
Gunners - regarding a UAS it'll depend hugely upon your chosen University and degree. These days the UAS attempts to 'stream' you for FJ, ME or RW depending upon how well you do. But you're also trying to get a decent degree, of course.
If you're trying to do Aero Eng at Impossible College, London and also have to travel all the way to Wyton to your UAS, you'll find it very, very hard. The other alternative is to wait until after finals to apply to the RAF and let them know that the reason was that you didn't think that you'd be able to devote sufficient time to your degree had you joined as an undergraduate, given the additional pressure of achieving sufficient flying currency to progress at a rate which would mark you as a FJ prospect.
Other flying is available through the RAF Flying Club Association, but it is NOT free. Perhaps you could try for a GAPAN PPL scholarship or Air League award?
Good luck!!
If you're trying to do Aero Eng at Impossible College, London and also have to travel all the way to Wyton to your UAS, you'll find it very, very hard. The other alternative is to wait until after finals to apply to the RAF and let them know that the reason was that you didn't think that you'd be able to devote sufficient time to your degree had you joined as an undergraduate, given the additional pressure of achieving sufficient flying currency to progress at a rate which would mark you as a FJ prospect.
Other flying is available through the RAF Flying Club Association, but it is NOT free. Perhaps you could try for a GAPAN PPL scholarship or Air League award?
Good luck!!
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BEagle: Distance is not a problem as I am going to Bristol and I checked the website given above and Bristol has a UAS. I am reading a science degree which like you suggest will be a lot of work as you have to add in field trips and practical studies etc. I didn't realise selection for FJ was or could be decided so soon...a point to consider. Thanks for the advice.
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I wonder if there should be a "Miss" in front of the previous posters handle. If there should any chance of a contact No to take advantage of your services
However her response, typical of the comfortable shoe wearing brigade of today, shows her inability to spot genuine banter when it is offered..........or does she really give credit to spec's very funny theory on the looks of todays female airman?....airwoman?.......whatever.
Lighten up folks Gun's is getting loads of good gen here and so far seems to be holding her own on the banter front.
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
However her response, typical of the comfortable shoe wearing brigade of today, shows her inability to spot genuine banter when it is offered..........or does she really give credit to spec's very funny theory on the looks of todays female airman?....airwoman?.......whatever.
Lighten up folks Gun's is getting loads of good gen here and so far seems to be holding her own on the banter front.
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
Those who've done their fluffy EO training will know the difference between 'banter' and 'harassment'. It's all in the perception of the person to whom the comment is addressed, not the comment itself.
Regrettably much of this is lost on dimwitted dinosaurs!
Enjoy Brizzle, gunners! When you go to the Freshers' Fair (are they still called that) ask at the UAS stall about the potential conflict between sufficient flying currency to progress at a rate which will give you the best chance of FJs and the requirements of your degree course. Ask them whether it'd be better to concentrate on getting a good degree first and then to join the RAF as a Direct Entrant. Whilst you would undoubtedly have a terrific time on the UAS (even Brizzle) you must consider the balance between work, play and your future career!
BTW- do you have any flying experience at the moment?
Edit for clarification: The reason I ask is that if you have any flying scholarship, gliding or microlighting experience, you might want to look at the newly-launched NPPL. But if you haven't any flying experience yet, you would certainly need to maintain good continuity during your first few formative flying sessions.
Regrettably much of this is lost on dimwitted dinosaurs!
Enjoy Brizzle, gunners! When you go to the Freshers' Fair (are they still called that) ask at the UAS stall about the potential conflict between sufficient flying currency to progress at a rate which will give you the best chance of FJs and the requirements of your degree course. Ask them whether it'd be better to concentrate on getting a good degree first and then to join the RAF as a Direct Entrant. Whilst you would undoubtedly have a terrific time on the UAS (even Brizzle) you must consider the balance between work, play and your future career!
BTW- do you have any flying experience at the moment?
Edit for clarification: The reason I ask is that if you have any flying scholarship, gliding or microlighting experience, you might want to look at the newly-launched NPPL. But if you haven't any flying experience yet, you would certainly need to maintain good continuity during your first few formative flying sessions.
Last edited by BEagle; 16th Aug 2002 at 23:10.
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Also Gunners --- e-mail me and let me know when you are starting at Bristol. If there is time, you could pop up to Colerne and chat to the BUAS staff (who are a nice bunch) and perhaps chat to some of the BUAS studes before even going to the Freshers' Fair. No - I don't work for BUAS, but I do fly from Colerne --------
